Hotel Transylvania - Haunted Lives 4
by Toa andrew
Summary: Monsters are on the brink of extinction. In the aftermath of their creator's ambitions, monsters once again find themselves faced with prejudice and hunters. Struggling to run the newly rebuilt hotel, Mavis and her family are drawn into a world on the brink by a mysterious guest with a dire warning. Nothing will ever be the same again.
1. Chapter 1 - Origins

1925.

All the waiting, all the hope of reaching the seemingly unreachable, had all been worth it.

It was all down to one man's implacable heart. All who heard of his venture cast him away with doubting words and accusations of madness, yet they were nothing to him. No words could veer him from his course. His tenacity was as piercing as the sun, its radiance shining off of the seemingly endless column of gold. With a satisfied heart, Harrison Morris was left in a state of pure bliss as treasures flowed out of the dig like liquid gold.

Relics, precious items of unspeakable value, and tools for purposes that no mortal could comprehend had been excavated. They were the shadow of an ancient kingdom long lost. His desire for discoveries like this had been left unappeased for too long. He thanked his lucky stars that he had met the man that now accompanied him during his long revered moment of glory.

"This, is astounding! Truly! I thought this valley empty, but you have proven otherwise." Harrison said, his voice trembling on the waves of excitement.

His companion looked on with the same sense of elation, an expression that Harrison was very surprised to see. He had been a reserved individual, even during the hardest of negotiations. Their chance meeting had been just that, but now he believed it to be fate. Harrison thought back to how it all began. He found his inner self able to relax in the memories of his past upon the site of his spoils. All the books and scrolls in the world, even all the money he could muster from his family's earnings wouldn't be enough. Dusty texts left nothing but further questions about the ancient world he searched for. It was a trail that only grew with his frustration with every sentence.

It was too much. Dead ends left him with nowhere to go. It was like the past he searched for had been wiped, kept hidden for some reason or another. He knew it was real. It had to be. Luckily for Harrison, he wasn't the only one who believed it. He turned his gaze from the prize to his companion. Not just that, his saviour.

He stood there, barely moving, undaunted by anything around him. Harrison envied the man. He was hardly dressed for the occasion, having donned a white suit, complete with yellow tie with black stripes. Ever the businessman, Harrison thought. His dark hair was always immaculate, and his scowl left most wary of his intent, at first. It was absent on that day, replaced with a rare grin.

The harsh sun was beating down on the two of them and Harrison's sunhat was of little good, but his partner showed no discomfort. He never did. Its rays reflected off of him. The bright white of his suit could be seen from on high for miles.

"You would be surprised what can be found if you dig deep enough," He told Harrison, without making eye contact. "There are many secrets hiding in the belly of our world, Morris. Some are not meant for mortal eyes."

Harrison's laugh was made nervous by his partner's comment. It had been his way since the dig began, but he knew his stuff in a way Harrison only dreamed of.

"I'd almost given up until you came along," Harrison said, near to tears. "After they found Tutankhamen, I thought my bubble was burst. How could I find anything on the same level as that? You though, aha, here is the proof! Egypt still has her secrets."

The last sight Harrison searched had revealed only more questions in the form of broken tablets. The figures they depicted were not human, and yet they had an intrinsic similarity. He had felt so close, like he could touch the broken relics and enter their world. All he got for his efforts was the feeling of cold stone on his fingertips, and the announcement that his funding had been cut.

He begged, he pleaded, he became angry. All of it was fruitless. It wasn't just himself he had failed, but his family and their legacy. He had wasted the money they had left him, what little remained of a family that once held such reverence. It was gone, spent on chasing the very thing that had destroyed the rest of it. A world unseen and a people unlike his own.

He would never forget that well-spoken voice. In just mere moments, those that had tried to ruin Harrison's hopes lost all of their influence. His partnership had been born. The man that had chosen to fund his cause shared the same desire. How could Harrison refuse? He owned this man a great debt. One he could now repay.

Harrison broke out of his self-reflection. It was time.

"I say, why don't we make our way down and see the latest for ourselves?" Harrison asked, unwilling to hold back his eagerness any longer.

Without a word, his companion held out a welcoming hand towards the dig. Harrison took lead, the smartly dressed man following close behind.

"This dig will make us both rich my friend!" Harrison rubbed his hands together at the thought of it.

"Money is of little value to me. There is something I seek far greater than that." He answered, giving little away.

"Really? I suppose a man who could pile thousands into a risky venture like this must be looking for more than gold. Fame is it? We will have plenty of that too!"

Harrison took a look at some of the marvels that were being gathered row by row on the work benches. Scarab amulets and gem encrusted jewellery glimmered in the sunlight. On that table alone were relics that rivaled even those in his dreams.

"To think that civilizations worshiped men who owned these, like living gods before their own eyes."

Harrison's companion let out a smile that none could see. Both Harrison's words, and the relics in front of him made all of the effort he had put into reaching that moment feel real at last. He recognized them. They were close.

"Morris. Your family once had a lot of money invested in a single branch, did it not?"

Harrison suddenly looked sheepish.

"Umm, yes. Why do you bring that up?"

"It must have been a blow for them, after what happened."

Harrison placed the scarab he had picked up back on the bench.

"I don't know much of it. A lot of people's investments went up in flames after all that. It was a long time ago, long before I was born."

His companion flicked a coin into the air and caught it in his palm before squeezing it.

"I bet they did. The shrewd however, were able to keep a hold of it. That's what my great-grandfather did. Lebeau Investments may die, but not my investments. Now it is all around us."

The man licked his lips, almost salivating over the discovery. He did not look on towards the gold, but instead, where it was being excavated.

"I knew it. I just knew that if we kept at it, we would find it. I had to hold on. They thought I was a lunatic to think that they originated here," Harrison took a glance at a bench holding more 'lucrative' items. "It's all thanks to you."

Harrison turned to find his companion entering the dark chambers below the dig.

"Is that safe?" He called after him.

"Are you a coward, Morris? This is our legacy. Let's enjoy it to its fullest."

Harrison was surprised by how stale the air felt as they were drawn into the dark. There was a distinct smell to it that he couldn't quite put his finger on. The lights that had been set up did little to help his footing. As he tripped and stumbled on the old stonework floor, his companion seemed to have none of the same issues.

"You seem right at home." He remarked.

"You could say that."

Their journey ended with Harrison in a paralyzed astonishment. They had entered a chamber surrounded by statues and carvings.

"Extraordinary!"

In the centre was a stone throne, with a single beam of light shining from above.

"Where on earth is that light coming from!? We searched this place dozens of times!"

His companion rested his hand on the throne.

"Your family investment. It did go up in flames. Along with the man they trusted to keep it safe. He let many down that day."

Harrison was becoming estranged with his partner's fascination with the subject.

"It's just a story. Surely?" Harrison ran his hand over the carvings on the walls. "These' don't look… Egyptian. It really is the place isn't it? This is what you were looking for? How on earth did you find the right place!?" Harrison's excitable voice reverberated off of dusty walls.

The light seemed to dim. No one was left in the chamber except for Harrison, and his companion.

"Where do stories come from? Often there is a hint of truth." He told Harrison. "We have our origins, so do they." The man's tired eyes looked over the carvings of an old time.

"Demons and killers, all of them," Harrison said. "This really is the place! Yes! This is astounding!"

The man was impressed with Harrison's child-like response to the event.

"Look at all of these! Their history laid bare for us to see! At last we can find out where they came from, and how we could stop them!"

Harrison's companion looked less impressed by his words.

"Try not to be too hasty my friend. There is plenty to search in these lands."

"But we have it! This was their first stronghold! The war was real! It isn't just a legend."

Most statues that surrounded them had crumbled over the endless years. Five remained intact however, baring down over the inner throne like jailers.

"I wonder who they were." Harrison mused.

"You talk of killers and demons. Feast your eyes. They were hunters."

They appeared humanoid. Their eyes, though made of stone, bore an aura of hate to the man looking up at them.

"They don't look like monsters. Hunters you say? So these men were heroes?"

"Bah!" The chamber was filled with the man's voice, then an awkward silence.

"Bless you?" Harrison replied.

"Bless you, indeed." He whispered back.

Harrison let his companion be as he marveled at their discovery. The history on the walls was still legible to the careful eye. Slaughter, monsters, death. It all looked grim. The last image was very much like a painting of victory, for one side at least.

"They killed the one who made them, didn't they?" Harrison asked without turning round.

"Trapped. You cannot kill the eternal. They live on because of his spirit. If you believe the tales anyhow."

"What tales? You aren't referring to that cult are you? Even Mr Lebeau thought of them as strange before… you know."

His companion laughed a deep chuckle.

"You know more about Lebeau than you lead on. You don't take part in a dig like this without some fascination. I knew it was there from our very first meeting,"

Harrison kept to the shadows in the corner of the room and let his partner's comment be answered with silence.

"You continue to fascinate me, Mr Morris. You talk of destroying a race and yet you cower in dark corners when real ones are discussed."

"Lebeau was not a monster! Not a man so close to us."

Harrison's companion left the subject in the air. The man's denial was amusing to him. Its cause was something he had a desire to discover in the near future. He turned his attention to the wreckage that blocked off the chamber's passage as he thought on the subject. It would have to wait for now. There was much to find behind that fallen stone before his work was done.

"Curious how this chamber remains intact, yet we cannot pass any further."

Harrison's curious eyes looked up before he rushed over to his partner.

"Strange, I hadn't even noticed all that. You think there is even more behind it?" Harrison asked.

"If it isn't all crushed, yes. I do believe secrets hide behind it." His partner said with a smile.

"You seem so certain about all this. First you find the location, now you go on about even more treasure."

"I live to be hopeful. I have a way of reclaiming what was lost, even those things thought beyond anyone's reach."

Harrison wiped the sweat from his head and backed away.

"Well, if you find my lost pocket watch, you let me know. I'll let the workers know that they are clear to start digging further."

"You do that."

The man poured all of his attention into listening to echoes. Harrison left him in the low lit chamber, his footsteps eventually dying in the man's ears as he was left alone. It was surely a sight not seen for thousands of years, and he couldn't be more relieved for it. The secrets left asleep in those dark halls would change everything, and the world would soon find out about its dark past.

"Relics… treasures, ha… it's all meaningless compared to what is to come. Some things live on, waiting for their time."

Feeling the cracked rock against his fingertips, the man thought to the near future. An image of creation was in front of him. The birth of the first vampire…


	2. Chapter 2 - Ancient Bones

With every night that fell over the dig, the more sleep became a stranger to Harrison. Anticipation rose within him with each passing day. There were so many questions left to be answered. The faded images upon the walls of the temple would never be enough for him. If his partner was right, then his long search was over and he was about to reveal a monstrous past to the world. He had no desire for sleep. How could he? Not only was he on the brink of the greatest discovery since King Tut, but he was about to unearth the secrets of the enemy. He would be a hero, not just a discoverer of trinkets and long dead kings. This was his legacy. He could not wait to see it come to light.

He sat up alone in his tent. They were barely a week in to the dig and already his workers had found what they believed to be a burial chamber. He had stared at the wall as they departed for the night. It mocked him. All the years he had been searching and now a wall lay between him and his future. Another night of waiting felt more painful than the years that preceded it. His persistence became an enemy even to himself, and his chance of sleeping that night was snuffed out.

As quiet as he could, he dressed himself in the same clothes he had been wearing that day. The sweat clang to his skin but he didn't care, he would worry about it later. Only a few workers were still on the sight, the rest had retired. Guards were stationed over the relics that were yet to be sent off. They let him pass and once again he marveled at the stone spectacle on the low lit chambers. Much of the corridor had already been revealed, but it was far from finished.

A pick-axe rested against the cold stone wall, tempting Harrison on. He gripped it firmly and took a deep breath. Sleep was the last thing on his mind now. Metal bit into stone as he began his work. He couldn't explain to himself why he was doing it, he just couldn't help himself. His journey to this point had been so long and deep down he felt scared that this was the real dream, and if he closed his eyes in his tent, he would wake up.

Without his pocket watch, there was no telling how long he had been at it. Sweat continued to fill his clothes. He wiped away what he could from his forehead and tried to steady his breathing as he made swing after swing.

"Having fun?"

A voice stopped him mid swing. He turned in an instant to see his business partner, who didn't look the least bit tired.

"Oh, I suppose." He answered with embarrassment.

"It's not going anywhere, yet, you seem quite desperate to break through."

Harrison looked at the tool in his hands and felt like a fool. He could simply wait till the morning to see the progress his workers would make, why do it himself now? He couldn't say why but he could feel it.

"Surely you know what it is like?" Harrison asked, trying to convince himself that he wasn't a fool. "You told me how far you have gone to find this dig. All those documents you found and the ones you wrote? About that hunter that was one of them?"

His partner looked at him like a brother trying to understand his sibling's pain.

"You remember that?" he answered with a chuckle.

As he approached, Harrison noticed the white suit that he was wearing again. It was as immaculate as the first time he saw it.

"A fellow admirer of history comes to me with all of this information, and a shared interest in the monstrous. Of course I listened. I even went looking for this hunter myself," Harrison admitted.

The man blew out a sudden breath with widened eyes.

"Oh, you don't want to go doing that. Besides, you wouldn't find him. He finds you."

Harrison gripped the pick-axe and continued to break down the wreckage.

"I nearly did you know. I followed stories. People saying that a man was tracking a beast that slaughtered a town a few decades ago. I found the man they were talking about… but he wasn't what I was expecting. It couldn't have been the hunter you spoke of. He was slow. He looked… injured. Hardly a legendary killer like you described!"

The man's face was emotionless. Nothing Harrison said seemed to surprise him.

"A shot to the chest I heard."

Harrison paused his work for a moment.

"The hunter? Who on earth did that?"

"Someone he went hunting." His partner answered with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh really? Any monster I would know?" Harrison asked with a chuckle.

"His past."

Harrison frowned at such a vague answer. The man was like a puzzle box that seemed to go on forever. Each lock that Harrison broke revealed a small piece of information, and a further lock to torment him.

"You are back with those riddles of yours again. Too much of that writing you do seeps out, I think."

The man gave a hearty laugh.

"Maybe, maybe. Still, you may well have found the hunter from your description, injury and all. Where was he, just out of interest?"

Harrison thought for a moment.

"I tracked him to England of all places. He met with a group of cloaked men one day, only once though. Other times he would be at the ruins of an old mansion. He… just walked around the grounds, with something in his hands. Jewellery I thought but I didn't see clearly."

His partner appeared sombre at the news.

"What a waste. He could have been something greater." He said to himself.

Harrison rested the pick-axe against the wall. He took a slow, thoughtful breath.

"I've just waited this long. The thought of any more feels… unbearable. What they tried to do to Howard Carter when he found Tut… he was this close to having his discovery ripped away from him." Harrison squeezed two fingers together in front of his face.

"There's no threat of that. The government won't be touching this place. I made sure of that."

Harrison could hardly believe it.

"Surely that isn't true? They will find a way to meddle, I'm sure of it!"

"I can be very persuasive. You should know that by now."

He sounded pleased with himself, and Harrison didn't blame him if it was true. He didn't ask how he had secured the dig. He didn't care anymore, as long as it was safe.

"By the way, why are you down here? It's late after all." Harrison asked him.

"I came to ask you something."

His manner of speaking had become pragmatic and emotionless.

"Oh… what is that?"

"Is it true that they have found a burial chamber?

Harrison was surprised he hadn't heard sooner.

"Yes, they have. They found a chamber entrance while you were… where were you by the way? I haven't seen you much the last few days."

"Please answer the question Morris."

The scowl was back. Harrison felt how he did the first time he encountered this man. Nervous and uncertain. He had thought it was just his demeanour and after everything he had no reason to doubt him.

"It's over there, but it's still sealed." Harrison pointed.

"Then how can they be sure!?" The man marched over to the spot and rubbed his hand over the stone.

His urgency was worrying Harrison. It wasn't excitement he expressed, more frustration than anything else. He could sense this. The man cleared his throat.

"My apologies," he said. "I'm just anxious to find the truth as much as you. Surely you understand?" He did, but his unease remained. "This crusade isn't just about fame and fortune is it?" The man asked abruptly.

Harrison was caught off guard, and for a split second he was unable to hide a hidden pain.

His partner saw it. It was that same pain he had identified a thousand times. The pain of loss, of a man who had been face to face with beasts and bled because of it.

"It isn't about fame for you either," Harrison answered." I guess you could say the same about me. My family almost lost everything when… you know. I spent what was left traveling, and searching. I'm the only one who can make up for it. If… it is true, and Lebeau was what they say, then the stain on my family is earned. I'll find a way to remove it, and the chance of other families suffering because of those creatures."

His conviction sounded genuine. Harrison's sense of foreboding only increased upon seeing his partner's mute expression. He knew more than he was letting on. He had to.

"It is true, isn't it? He was really… one of them?" Harrison gave in to the idea. "How could someone like that hide for so long among us?"

When Harrison turned to hear his companion's answer, he was surprised to see him searching the chamber wall, as if he were looking for something in particular.

"You could walk past them in the street. You could have spent your whole life in a city filled with them. They blend in. They hide. Waiting for the right time." He spoke as he searched.

He grasped the pick-axe by Harrison's feet.

"Waiting for what?" Harrison asked slowly.

"To break free."

The man swung the great tool. Dust was scattered to the thin air as he chipped away piece by piece at the wall.

"What on Earth are you doing!? We don't know for sure if the chamber is even there!"

Nothing deterred him. He just kept swinging as if in a trance. The last of the wall's resistance was spent and he broke through. A blue light shined through the new breach. Harrison rushed over to take a look, barely waiting for the dust to settle.

"It's… there! The chamber! How did you know for certain?" Harrison asked in fascination.

"This place was not built for pharaohs, or any human. This was built for something else."

He broke further in, clearing the way into the chamber with a surprising strength.

"I don't understand. This is what you were looking for? This is why you invested in my venture?" Harrison was full of questions.

The man stepped into the chamber with his hands behind his back. He left the pick-axe against the wall by the chamber entrance.

"This is a chamber that hides this place's great secret. It wasn't built by monsters, it was made by scum that called themselves saviours. Did you not ever wonder where they came from? How did monsters come to walk the earth? They were made from humanity… to be better."

In the centre was a great sarcophagus. Carvings marked its lid. Bearing down over it were five great statues, carved with all the intricacies of those that watched over the throne room, their swords crossed over the burial place. Runes that Harrison couldn't identify were carved into the floor all around them.

"Ancient words meant to suppress what was inside. No longer."

The man raised out his hands. His fingers pointed to the skies as the chamber began to shake.

"What in God's name is this!? Mr Bates, what is happening!?"

Everything had taken a sudden turn. Harrison felt his hopes crumble with the very foundations of the room. Stone that had been settled for thousands of years groaned under the pressure.

"This… can't be!" Harrison exclaimed as he backed away in shock.

The blue light that blanketed the sarcophagus was replaced with swirling sand.

"You're one of them! All this time!"

The man took a glance over his shoulder. Harrison brandished the pick-axe, causing the man to scoff.

"One of them? I am them!"

The great stone ceiling of the resting place was cracked. It fell away in two parts, coating the floor with dissolving rock. Harrison was filled with emotions he had hidden away long ago. His family and there fortune was gone, because of a monster. Now, he was alone with one.

"I told you we hide in plain sight!" The man was enjoying the moment, only making Harrison angrier.

Harrison lost control, as he had against the wreckage just hours before. He lunged forward, pick-axe in hand. In a flash, the monster in front of him span and caught the tool by its point in one hand. No matter what Harrison did, it wouldn't budge.

"You lied to me! You're not Marcus Bates at all!"

"I have many names… as does my son!"

The sarcophagus was obliterated, leaving only its contents behind. When the dust settled, Marcus Bates peered inside with a slimy grin that he had suppressed for that very moment… only to have it wiped away instantly by the truth.

"There's…"

"Nothing." Harrison finished his sentenced for him.

Harrison found his sense of balance betray him as the weapon he brandished was blasted away. A beam of light from his deceiving partner flung him backwards, fueled by his sudden anger. Harrison barely missed the pick-axe as he was cast into the dust. Sand coated him and a single desire filled him. Survive.

"My son… gone. Like everything else," The man placed his hands on the empty sarcophagus. It couldn't be true, he thought. How could he be missing? Where could his remains have gone? He had no answers, only a burning realisation. He truly was alone. "Fine… I will do this myself, my zing. I will bring you back, no matter how long it takes."

The further his journey had taken him, the more relics of his past he had lost. One thing was back at least, the ruins of his fortress. He couldn't look at the empty sarcophagus any longer. He turned away, casting his eyes on the disappearing figure of his former partner.

A single blast emitted from his sorcerer's hand. All sound was drowned out for Harrison by a deafening ringing, and the sound of his own heartbeat. It wouldn't be beating for long if he couldn't escape. He traversed the uneven floor as fast as he could. His pursuer was in no hurry to catch him, but Harrison dreaded to think what would happen if he caught him. He broke out into the moonlight. He took a short moment to catch his breath. The sound of screams and groans was filling the night. Something was happening back at camp, and the guards were nowhere to be seen.

Using the treasure hoard as cover, Harrison hid from the thing that chased him. He caught a glimpse of the chaos unfolding back at camp. Each tent was surrounded by men hooded and cloaked. They were like spectres in the low light bringing death to any they came across. Harrison covered his mouth. Everything was torn away from him. A sudden sound caught his attention. A figure brandished a knife mere feet away from him. He could not make out his face, only the eerie glow of a skull carved into his forehead.

Harrison rolled over the table. Jewellery followed him into the sands beneath his feet. The cloaked man lunged at him, asking no questions as to whom he was. Harrison could do nothing but back away. He found himself trapped against another bench covered in artifacts. Reaching behind him, he brandished a jewel encrusted dagger and swung out. The blade caught his attacker on the wrist. The wound was not serious, yet Harrison looked on in horror as the man screeched and swiftly turned to dust.

He held onto the weapon firmly. It was his only protection now. He had to escape however he could. He took a step forward and felt something crack under his foot. The moonlight shone off of whatever was below him. He lent down and picked it up, hoping it was another artifact that would aid him. Instead, he was looking at the broken face of his lost pocket watch. Time was not on his side.


	3. Chapter 3 - A Leap Through Sunlight

Present Day

The sun was rising. For most of the world, that meant a new day and fresh beginnings. Not so for Hotel Transylvania. When the world went to sleep, that was when the guests and denizens of the castle came to life. Birds chirped their songs in the morning breeze outside as Mavis stood at the door to their bedroom.

"Well, this is it." Johnny said to her, his fingers still intertwined with hers.

They pushed the door open together and took their first sight of the room. It was truly coming home. Everything was as they remembered. Even the furniture had been made to match what had been lost in the fire. Mavis shed a tear at it all.

"I… never thought…"

"Neither did I" Johnny shared her feeling of being where they belonged.

Though she wouldn't admit it, Mavis had the desire to dive into the room and jump up and down on the bed, just as she had done as a little girl. She chuckled to herself at the thought. It was all perfect. From the entrance to the tallest towers erect atop the hotel, it was all the same. There was just one thing missing. Her father.

Johnny could see that wanting look on her face.

"He would have been proud to see it again, and to see you in charge." He attempted to cheer her up.

"Maybe, I'm not so sure."

He didn't know what she meant. The place was as it had been years before. Was she doubtful of herself?

"We can do this, together. I know it's daunting, but we've got plenty of help." Johnny told her.

She gazed at her feet and frowned. It was a look that didn't feel Johnny with confidence. He wanted her to be happy. He'd hoped that the resurrection of her childhood home would help with that. Her gaze broke off and a huge grin covered her face.

"It's back. Our home is back Johnny." She announced triumphantly.

It was a sudden change of emotion and Johnny was worried that she was hiding the truth from him.

"Are you sure there isn't something else? I understand that it's not all how it used to be. I know it never can be, but I'm here if you ever want to talk about anything."

She was so close to taking him up on the offer, but decided against it. The things that plagued her mind were things she wanted to bury as much as she could.

"Thanks Johnny."

The curtains had not yet been drawn, allowing sunlight to pierce the room. Mavis rested her head against Johnny's arm. He assumed she wanted comfort, but her true intention was hidden from him. She placed her hand by her neck, directly over where her enchanted necklace should have been. Johnny's own crystal shone brightly as it shielded him from the sun. Together they stood in warm rays, unharmed, leaving Mavis afraid of what it meant as haunting words repeated in her head.

They were not the only ones to see the morning light as it filled the valley. Standing on the highest tower in the castle, a lone person smiled as he breathed in the fresh air. This was something he had wanted to do for years. Stretching out his arms and closing his eyes, Dennis Loughran let himself fall. He heard the roar of the air in his ears and felt the exhilaration of his powers taking hold. Mere feet above the ground, he transformed.

The beautiful landscape surrounded him. He soared under the bridge, caring not for the danger, or the burning sun, for a hybrid was untouched unlike the rest of his kind. When last he had enjoyed the thrill of flying like this, he had been younger and less stable. Now, he enjoyed it to its fullest. Mavis still scolded him for such actions, but he couldn't help himself. That rush was inherited from his grandfather, and much to Mavis' embarrassment, from her.

Dennis took in every moment of freedom in his flight. He had known imprisonment's cold embrace and couldn't suffer to think about it anymore. Hotel Transylvania's return was his excuse to bask in his own voluntary isolation among the vast skies and towers of the castle. He wouldn't let anyone know the inner reaches of his mind, he was too frightened of what would come out from the thoughts he'd had in the clutches of his captor. The creator of monsters had left his toil on the boy who was becoming a man. Though they had celebrated in the night, the morning was when Dennis' eighteenth birthday was starting to feel real to him.

He landed in his natural form outside the front lobby. He breathed in heavily, feeling the rush of his activities. He had waited long to do it, and only being accompanied by his mother could have made it better. Sadly, Mavis no longer flew with him as often as she once had. Much had changed over the last three years.

Dennis was startled by the sound of clapping and giggling.

"That was amazing, you really are a speed freak aren't you?"

Dennis felt embarrassed at his antics. Winnie had been watching him.

"How long have you been there?" he asked her, trying to hide the redness of his face.

"Long enough. I saw you flying up to the top of the hotel and couldn't resist watching you."

He hadn't been alone after all, though it begged one question.

"You came out here to watch?" he asked.

"Actually, I ran around the hotel, looking through the windows. I think I may have annoyed a few guests." She joked.

"Oh really? You shouldn't get on the guests' bad side Winnie. It's bad for business." He pretended to tell her off.

"And you shouldn't be leaping from buildings. Maybe I'll go tell your mother about it."

"No!" He grabbed her arm gently as she turned round.

She laughed and wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm only joking! Since when did you turn into the responsible business man anyway?"

He struck a heroic pose.

"Oh, well, seeing as the hotel is open again, I thought I better do my part for the family."

She raised her eyebrow and gave him a playful grin, clearly unconvinced.

"Well, maybe you could be a helpful employee and escort this poor lost guest back to her room."

Dennis' face went bright red in an instant.

"I… err…"

She was almost in hysterics at his response.

"You're the best for teasing! Forget bats, you can transform into a tomato!"

He had to look away, for the sake of his dignity.

"I was just joking!" She tried to spin him round, only to find herself inches from the ground, wrapped in his arms moments later.

"You shouldn't tease a vampire Winnie, they may bite." He said, trying to sound suave.

"Half vampire, half adrenaline junky you mean. Maybe I will tell Mrs Loughran after all, just to see her reaction."

"Please don't." he asked in a quick burst.

Winnie pulled herself from his grasp and stood up straight.

"You'll have to do me a favour." She said with her arms behind her back.

"Anything. What is it?"

"I've never really seen everything Hotel Transylvania has to offer. Not the grounds, not the towers. I want to see the sky the way you do."

He was thrilled at her request.

"But! Not now though. We should go to bed before we get as many bags under our eyes as my dad. I counted four last I saw him." She said with a grin.

Dennis didn't know what to say. He had been running off adrenaline. If it hadn't been for his flying, he would never have had the courage for such a conversation with her, even after their first kiss.

"OK." He answered with a croaky throat.

Winnie held in a giggle.

"I'll see you when the sun falls, my knight."

She gave him one last wave and ran towards the entrance.

"Oh!" She stopped for a moment. "Happy birthday."

With that, she was gone. Dennis stood alone, watching her silhouette slowly disappear in broken vision through the revolving door. He looked up at the marvel that was Hotel Transylvania.

"Happy birthday, me."


	4. Chapter 4 - Starry Skies

She woke up to the sound of voices. It was too early in the night for the guests to be stirring, she thought in her groggy mind. The sun had barely faded, and whoever it was that had awoken Mavis was gone. She couldn't put a face to anything she had heard just mere moments ago. All voices had been replaced with the caw of crows. Having lived in the world of humans, she knew how they saw such birds as symbols of woe. It had puzzled her at first. Their voice had always been as sweet as the song of robins to her. They didn't sound so beautiful anymore.

More guests would arrive. The bookings were full, and most guests would be walking through the front door before the sun rose again. Each day brought with it new challenges and Dracula had been up to all of them. Mavis wasn't her father, and yet the same tasks now weighed down on her shoulders. As Mavis traversed the tunnels of her home, her husband by her side, she felt like a ghost. Paintings covered the bland stone behind them, just as they always had. Shrunken heads snoozed as they hung on every doorknob. The familiar glow of lights lit the halls, leading her on. It was all as it had been, so why did she feel uneasy?

She began the day behind the front desk. Jonathan wanted to stay with her, sensing something was out of the ordinary, but she'd convinced him otherwise. She wasn't sure where he had gone. She was only half focused on his words. Behind the desk she stood alone. The front lobby was as marvellous as ever, with welcoming furniture on both sides and a warm hearth that gave the place a homely glow. It was all silent. So many years had passed since Mavis had first gazed upon the grandness of it all, and although she couldn't remember those days, she knew in her heart that it had never been so quiet in her life.

Her hand moved lazily over the guest book, with only the scratching of her nail on paper and the cracking embers of the fire to block out the screeching in her ears. The absence of sound was so alien to her. She found herself looking away and imagining how it had once been. Guests flooded the hall in excitement, free from persecution and safe from the dangers of the outside world. They were spectres in her mind's eye.

The boredom she had felt then was nothing compared to the desire she had now for things to go back to the way they were. It would all be the same, she had told herself, once it was all built again. Only one night had passed and already horrid thoughts nagged at her. She felt foolish for letting it happen. She had to let time do its work, even if she couldn't pull her eyes away from the grand painting that hung over the fireplace. The painting of her father.

Next to it was Vlad. Her ancestry truly was a legendary one, and one that would not soon be forgotten. It had been marked with tragedy and blood from the start. She smiled back at Dracula's flat gaze. He had been better than those that came before him. He didn't plot revenge, or justice, or even a fight for fairness. No, he did something stronger. He kept his only daughter and his friends safe from the pain he had to bear. She never got to thank him for everything he had done for her.

Glass was between them again. Her hand could not touch his. Only empty air filled where he should have been. The beast that had taken him away was gone, but she knew too well that immortality has many forms. Her mind lived on, and so did the memories. Only few secrets burrowed between her and the man she loved. Honesty had helped her to cope with the terrors that had befallen her three years ago. Johnny had been there for her, along with everyone else. That gave her strength, but she couldn't break their hearts any more. She kept a bigger secret from them. As it plagued her mind, she looked up at her father again.

"I'm sorry Dad. It's… dark."

"What's dark?"

She slammed the book shut and turned anxiously to see her son standing behind her atop the steps.

"Oh… The lighting. The bulbs should be brighter." It was the quickest lie that could come to mind.

"Right… they look fine to me. You should tell dad. You know what he's like about everything looking just right."

She let out a weak laugh.

"I know. His party displays are amazing, but I've had to convince him not to make every bulb flash different colours more than once."

She didn't look herself. If Dennis had to guess, he would say that she had just heard some awful news.

"Is everything alright Mum?"

He closed the distance between them. She took his hand in hers. She had savoured the warmth of his touch since what had happened every chance she got. It was absent the coldness of her own hand. He had always been special.

"It doesn't feel the same. It should, But I… I don't understand it."

Dennis' eyes flicked quickly towards the paintings.

"I guess it never will fully. It's okay Mum. I understand."

As they looked into each other's eyes, they felt a mutual guilt for the things they hid from each other. If only they both knew.

"You should go enjoy yourself. Your father should have the firework display ready. I know it was pretty hectic last night, but at least we can relax now."

Her efforts to hide the book behind her were in vain.

"Some of us can relax. Are you sure you don't want help?"

"No, no! It's fine. I can handle it." She gave that same reassuring smile she always did. Dennis found it hard to hold faith in it anymore. "Go! Find Winnie, I know she will be dying to see you."

She had succeeded in turning the focus on him, and making him blush.

"It's not… whatever. See you later Mum."

He was up the stairs in a flash, using his nature to sprint away. The carpet and drapes wouldn't last long if he kept at it. She remembered how torn the last hotel would get from Dracula's rushing, and as the first guests began to pour in, she felt she would have to be something similar.

"Easy! Easy… down a bit!"

Johnny was having as much luck at instructing the zombie staff as one would expect. In five minutes, one had managed to drop the same firework on his foot twice.

"We really need to get better staff." Johnny said under his breath.

"Nah! They always added a certain charm to the place." Murray said as he put his arm on Johnny's shoulder.

They both grimaced as the test firing went horribly wrong. The same zombie that had crushed his foot stood in place as his head went skyrocketing high above the castle.

"That's gonna be hard to get back." Murray remarked as they looked up.

The rocket exploded in a display of colour.

"It just got a lot harder." Johnny answered.

The zombie's body didn't seem too bothered, and naturally attempted to scratch where its head should have been.

"A job's just opened up if you're interested Murray." Johnny joked.

"I think I'll stick to holiday maker thanks! Speaking of zombies, Frank's found them!"

The hulking monster carried a number of instruments on his way past the empty pool.

"Some are a bit battered, but they still work at least!"

It had been quite a find, considering the devastation that had befallen the castle. Some of the old hotel remained, and Johnny was happy to see his old guitar again.

"Oh, yeah! I can't wait to get some rifts going on this!"

He mock played, making noises as Murray closed his eyes and imagined the beat.

"This is gonna be crazy! Just like the old days!"

Frank let them have their fun and glanced towards the pool.

"Still not fixed?" he asked.

"Oh, the architect should be back today. It's probably got the same problem as the old one. Mavis wasn't too pleased. To be honest…" Johnny stopped himself.

"Huh? You alright Johnny?" Murray asked as he bobbed his head to some imaginary tune.

"Don't worry about it. Just forget I said anything. The pool should be up and running in no time. I'm sure we will have something organized for when it is."

The two monsters looked at each other but let it go all the same. Before they could say anymore, familiar howls and the ruckus of Wayne and Wanda's pups took the place by storm.

"No, no. Sit!"

Wayne found himself completely covered in his kids in a mosh pit.

"Why does the guy keep having kids?" Frank commented.

"I think he enjoys self-torture." Murray laughed.

"At least some of them are older, and more mature." Johnny said.

"Yeah, where is Dennis by the way?" Murray asked with a grin.

"Oh he's… don't mention the whole kiss thing to him. He gets embarrassed all the time. Sadly, I don't think he has the charm that his father has around women." Johnny straightened his collar in a gentlemanly fashion.

"Says the guy that literally crashed into his future partner." Frank answered back.

"Well, you could say she fell for me."

"Yeah, in a heap!"

Johnny felt his confidence fade. With his mind on his son, he realized he hadn't seen him since the sun had set. He wasn't one for sleeping in, so he could give three guesses as to where he was.

High above them, two monsters looked over the dark horizon. The full moon illuminated the valley, even brighter than the lights below.

"Just one more step…" Dennis helped pull Winnie up. "I don't know why you insisted on climbing.

"It's cooler than flying up. Even if you are cute as a bat." She said with a dubious smile.

His cheeks flushed red once again.

"You are too easy to embarrass."

He looked up towards the moon to avoid making eye contact. He felt her beside him as they both sat on the hard tiles of the castle tower.

"Humans like to say that full moons cause werewolves to turn, but I've always known you like this." Dennis said inquisitively.

"Some of us change, but my family isn't like that."

The idea puzzled him. It was curious how different each monster really was from each other.

"I've sometimes wondered what it would be like to be human."

He was surprised to hear her say such a thing.

"Really? Why?"

"I don't know. You have to admit, we don't exactly look like each other."

"So? I don't care about that. We're all different in some way or another. That shouldn't hold us apart."

She was happy to hear him say that. She snuggled up to his arm as they gazed at the moon. He still didn't know how to react, so he kept his focus away.

"Dad told me a story, about how Mum brought him up here once. It was the first time she ever saw the sunrise."

Winnie rubbed her hand over his sleeve.

"I bet that must have been magical." She said lazily.

"Can I tell you something, Winnie?" he asked nervously.

"Sure, you can ask me anything." Her eyes looked sincere.

"Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be human too."

She was confused.

"But you are half human, and you look just like one."

"I know… but I don't feel like one." He looked drained of energy all of a sudden.

Concern grew in Winnie. She knelt down beside him.

"What do you mean?" She asked, desperate for an answer.

"Ever since… what happened, I don't feel the same. I…" he stopped.

Her grasp fell to his hand. He felt her fur in its warmth.

"You can tell me. Please trust me, like you used to when we were on the run."

She was scared of the look on his face. Years ago she had seen it as chaos took hold around them. She had held him then, desperate to let him know that he was safe. Maybe that feeling had lived on in his mind all that time, she thought.

He sighed.

"I feel like a different person. I was human, I guess. Before my fangs broke through. Even after that, I felt like my father, and my mother. I flew with Vampa Drac like any other vampire. Now I don't feel like any of them. I'm something else."

His hand was shaking.

"Please don't think like that. You are still the same caring person. Don't let what happened ruin that."

He felt angry all of a sudden, like her words were a mockery. That rush of adrenaline he used to feel would still come back on occasion. He suppressed it as well as he could for her sake.

"It's already ruined. I won't see him again, and mother doesn't seem the same either. And…"

He stared out into the starry sky.

"What?" she asked softly.

"I'm a puppet. Just like Jeremiah Constantin was."

He didn't hear a response. Her silence was jarring, so he turned his head towards her. She was staring deeply into his eyes, her face showing her disappointment. Before he could utter another word, she lunged forward and took him in a powerful embrace. He didn't know what to do. A single tear fell down his face.

"You aren't a puppet. You're my knight!"

He felt so blessed that he wasn't alone. He didn't know what he would do if he didn't have his family and friends around him. He thought about the last hybrid. He had been alone, and what he became scared Dennis. He had killed his own family, and his zing. Dennis had already done the same to his mother, accident or no. The thought was chilling to him.

"I… want to be human."


	5. Chapter 5 - A Burning Past

Well-dressed men and women traveled through elaborate halls, and hardly a sound could be heard among them. Everyone had an excuse to be anxious. Years of talks would lead to one decision and one outcome. Only one man was able to carry himself with vigour.

With one hand in his trouser pocket, the man entered the conference room with a face so pensive you would think he had cast away everything from his mind but what he was about to do. Everyone found their seats, all say for him. He approached the front stage, his two followers taking position on either side. His sharp suit matched the darkness of his matted hair. Everyone who met the man was surprised at the likeness he shared with his great grandfather. You would almost think they were one and the same at first glance.

He had no notes in front of him, no file. All he owned with him was the speech he had waited long to give.

The room fell silent.

"Three years ago, we faced a catastrophe that many of you refused to believe," The man said to the anxious crowd. "In the years that proceeded it, we opened our arms to a kind that was once our enemy. A 'gift' from mankind, if you will…" The man looked down at the podium in front of him and snickered so quietly that not one of them could hear it.

"…It was abused, and we paid the price for being spineless. Look at the world today."

The projector above them flicked into life, and they were presented with disaster. Rubble was strewn across the streets, alongside the dead. Beasts in cloaks marched liked soldiers, burning and killing without remorse. The footage was hard to make out, but they didn't need clarity to see it. They all remembered.

"How many of you in this very room know someone affected by it?" He continued with one hand in his pocket. "Perhaps it was you yourself who was affected. It doesn't matter, because we can't rewrite the past. We can change the future."

One woman among the summit stood up.

"Just what are you proposing, Sir?"

He knew she would be the first. There she was, her hair immaculate and her gaze like stone. He couldn't stand the site of her, but he didn't let her interruption ruin his stride.

"Three years ago we instigated the human-monster segregation act. Since then, it has been illegal for humans and monsters to congregate together in large numbers."

The crowd began to mutter among itself. Guilty faces plastered the room.

"If I remember correctly," The same ambassador interrupted. "It was you, Chairman, who was at the forefront of that campaign."

He fought back the desire to grit his teeth.

"Yes," he answered her. "You are correct, and I stand by it. Perhaps the lady does not understand the severity of what we have faced in the last few years. How many innocents were murdered by this faction that calls itself the Court of Skulls? How was it that such a huge force of monsters was able to unite, kill families in the streets and rip children from their beds, leaving a trail of blood in their wake? It was our fault to trust them, and now it is our duty to end this cycle that continues to lead to war."

Voices raised as anxiety bubbled. Eyes went back and forth between the man speaking, and the summit that listened on. The man barely flinched.

"You are yet to explain yourself. Just what is it that you are proposing?" The ambassador asked again.

"Drastic measures are called for when drastic threats loom over us," he continued, his tone unchanged. "I propose that the human-monster segregation pact is expanded. It was not humans and monsters that attacked us in large numbers, no. It was just them. Monsters should no longer be capable of uniting against us like this ever again. All organisations, shelters and refuges for these beasts must be shut down and disbanded."

The chamber was in an uproar. Arguments began to break out. The ambassador couldn't look him in the eye. That word, beast, stung. She kept her mouth shut, covering her fangs.

"I know most of you will think of this as madness, but did you think it possible that an entire city could be pulled into war because of these beasts we chose to call friends? No, you trusted them and thought them no ill. This is our price."

The footage played on. Chaos erupted and thousands of monsters tore into each other as buildings rumbled in the cataclysm. A great machine rippled with power in the distance as the ground cracked and people ran for their lives.

"That's enough!"

One politician requested the footage turned off. The chairman, was pleased.

"You must look away. I understand. That is why we need change."

The footage froze, focused on injured children as they crawled away from the chaos.

"Our reports from back then state that it was due to one monster, not all of them." One among them said half-heartedly.

"One monster that was able to control the rest. How many more threats are there waiting to tear us down? If just one of their kind, just one, could unite them in war then what chance is there for us? We have no choice. We must think of our own children first. Monsters do not belong in our world anymore. It is time for change."

The longer the chairman spoke, the more the crowd's anguish withered, and was replaced with fear. By the end, many had been won round. The chairman left the chamber at the end of it all, along with his two followers.

"Today we spark the fire," He said to them, alone. "Progress begets progress. One step at a time, and eventually…"

The man retrieved a small pocket watch from under his suit jacket. He smiled as he admired the hand slowly moving round behind the device's broken face.

"…their time will melt away."

…

The week went by in a flash. The last guests had arrived and settled down into their time of relaxation, and to the naked eye, all was as it always had been. Johnny watched on as Murray made impressions of the other guests, leaving the group in hysterics. It's what he lived to see, but not everything was how he wanted it.

Mavis remained alone. Most of the guests had already retired to their rooms, leaving the entrance hall all but deserted. Mavis listened to the quiet cracking of the fire as the night gave in. Daybreak was fast approaching.

"I haven't seen you much this week."

Mavis had expected Johnny to be with the others, yet here he was leaning on the reception desk, his eyes full of understanding. Her reservations almost melted as she gazed back. She wanted to tell him everything, but she always held back. The paintings on the wall felt like judging eyes.

"You know how it is… first week, lots of work to do!" She exclaimed with a nervous laugh.

It was exactly what Dracula would do.

Johnny would usually play along when she was hiding something to avoid the awkwardness, but he couldn't do that anymore.

"You know you can tell me anything, Mavis. After everything we've been through, you know I'll understand."

She couldn't break out from the sincerity in his voice. Johnny was always so cool and playful, but this was a rare occasion when he showed his true heart, and she felt guilty for tearing him out of his natural self.

"It's… the first week, being back here."

He followed her gaze up at the paintings on the wall.

"I have to prove that I can do this… I have to make it worth it."

She felt his hand envelop hers.

"You don't have to do it all alone, and I know… that isn't the only thing on your mind."

She suddenly looked frightened.

"That's all there is, it's not easy coming back here without him!"

She let her hand slip from his grasp as she walked away.

"You know you can trust me," He followed on. "You have to know I'm with you through anything!"

"There's been enough suffering already! I won't let anymore hurt you or Dennis!"

Mavis headed to their room at a brisk pace, never making eye contact.

"Please don't try and take everything on yourself! Is it what you told me when we arrived?" Is it-"

"Don't say his name!" She blurted out.

Mavis span round after marching into their room. Johnny was shocked at her stern expression.

"Mavis…"

"I was kidding myself with this place. It won't be the same ever again. I'm not Dad. I'm not… Mavis."

It pained Johnny deeply to hear her.

"Of course you are… you always will be."

He tried to take her hand, but she looked to the ground and rebuffed him.

"I'm not! The real Mavis is gone. All I am is a shell put back together with magic…"

She was distraught and he had to do something, but every time he tried to comfort her, she backed away. He was about to speak when he was brought to an unwilling silence.

"What…" She asked meekly.

"Mavis… your necklace!"

She brought her hand to her neck, but there was nothing there. Johnny watched the sunrise shine on her through the window. She turned to look at the outside world and felt the Sun's warm rays.

There was no pain.

The same words repeated over and over in her head, again and again until she couldn't take it. She squeezed her eyes shut and let tears fall. In that instant she was embraced by her husband. The two of them settled in the bright sunlight, until the welcome warmth began to burn her skin. Together they moved away. Johnny was dumbfounded, but Mavis was surer than ever.

" _Your immortality dies with me…"_


	6. Chapter 6 - Only one Lesson

They sat hand in hand on the edge of the bed. Johnny could see that Mavis didn't share in his bewilderment. By the stone cold expression on her face, she was coming to terms with a harsh reality. The curtains were drawn, but Johnny still noticed beams of light seeping like liquid below them as the day drew in. For a moment, it had caused no harm to his beloved. None of it made sense to him.

"I don't know what I am anymore." She whispered in sorrow.

Johnny stood and walked over to her jewellery box with a composure that surprised her. He took out her crystal necklace delicately, sat back down beside her and placed it around her neck with the same care. She couldn't break eye contact with him. She looked desperate to escape the bubble forming around her, but at the same time she was unwilling to let go.

"You will always be my Mavis," he said, his hand atop hers. "It doesn't matter what we go through, we will always be together from now on. Neither of us have to be alone anymore."

He knew he couldn't fully share her emotions. How could one imagine what death does to your soul? But there was something he could do.

"I'll always be here. You know you can trust me with anything, and I will always support you. We have an eternity to fight this together."

She couldn't help but draw a smile. As playful as Johnny was, sometimes he knew just what to say. She leaned on his shoulder and let her thumb move softly over his hand. She lost herself in her surroundings for that fleeting moment of solitude with the man she loved. The room around her felt familiar, but like herself it was a ghost of its past. She didn't have her old paintings anymore, or even her mother's book. It had all been destroyed in the fire that had consumed the hotel. Everything in her past seemed to burn away.

Those memories were making her blind to the present.

"How… how's Dennis?" She softly asked.

"I haven't seen him much this week. When I have, he's been hanging out with Winnie."

Mavis gave a small, but pleased smile.

"I'm glad he's alright. I was worried it would be too much."

She didn't say anything more. Johnny wanted her to be happy so much, but she rested against him, empty and with a tear running down her cheek.

"You can tell me anything… you must believe that. What are you thinking, my love?"

She understood that he wasn't going to give up, and deep down she was glad. She was exhausted of the unending fear she carried year after year from her past. Eustice Chaise, the Eldritch King. Death. All of it.

She straightened up and took off her necklace, letting the crystal fall with a light thump onto the bed. Johnny wanted to stop her as she drew the curtains just enough for a ray of light to pierce through, but he hesitated, trusting her. Mavis winced when she held out her fingers to the sunlight, like it was boiling water. Eventually, the pain stopped. All she could feel was the Sun's relaxing warmth.

"I can't stop thinking about what he said. 'Your immortality dies with me.' Is it just me… or…"

Johnny's fingers parted her own as he took her hand. She watched him in astonishment as he stood in front of her, the two of them unharmed in the sunlight. She hadn't even noticed him approach.

"You're not alone, my Zing. Whatever this is, we'll face it together."

The chains of their necklaces were intertwined on the bed.

…

Light shone through the scratched windows, warming the wooden furnishings with its touch. Each piece carried its mark, stained by its light. What once was priceless now served only to carry dust and evidence of neglect. It was a large home, doomed to carry on existing for one occupant. Stains still condemned the wooden floor, centuries old and crimson in nature. Particles of dust danced in the rays that traveled the cracked glass, as if celebrating the music that filled the place.

In one moment, sadness consumed the dreary rooms, but in the next, joy overtook it. Fingers flowed over ivory keys, sounding triumphant tones that destroyed the sadness and terror of the notes before them. It would excite the heart of even a vampire to hear it.

Then it all stopped.

One sharp note murdered it, and nothing more could be heard. The place returned to dreariness.

But then like a phoenix, it rose to new life, slowly at first but then with intensity.

Then again, all fell silent.

The fingers of the man who brought melodies to grimness floated over the keys. One by one, they lowered, until they returned to their dance again. For some time the house was toyed with by the stop-start symphony of Man's mistake.

The man gritted his teeth with each false note, and then stiffened his hands.

Above his head hung photographs proudly over the credenza. A young boy and his father.

 _You mustn't think yourself a failure for your errors. This is the greatest lesson you will learn, and only by embracing your humanity will you take hold of it. Take your failure and let a lesson be born from it. Fail and teach yourself._

The words were the true music in his head. He harnessed composure and carried on. Each fallen note was sore, but each one numbed him, until no longer did they curse him. He couldn't feel their sting twice once he had experienced it.

 _Master it, my boy! Frustration is unwarranted. Just like my grandfather, you will learn to see the world and its own mistakes. The fallen have the chance to stand up and help those who cannot return to their feet. Even when they cannot see their own mistakes, they will learn, and we must teach them so. Only the wicked refuse to take their failure as a lesson, because they will taint themselves, and the ones they love forever. They will lead everyone into the jaws of the lion every single time._

The last page stared back at him. Every last note was spent, and his days playing was at an end. Pouring himself a drink, he pondered through old papers. Newspaper clippings and grainy photographs were paper-clipped to the old parchment. A man in white stood beside another, a temple behind them. The headlines passed from victory to tragedy, with the story of someone looking for fame who lost it all.

He put the papers down and rubbed his forehead. Dusted halls that once belonged to powerful individuals was his family's legacy. It was meagre compared to what it should have been.

"Soon, it will all change." He thought.

He picked up a small pocket watch by his family's papers and admired the handiwork. He could have fetched a decent price for it, if not for the scratch across the glass. It was worth more to him how it was. It reminded him of his father's teachings. He sat alone in the ashes of another's life and thought on the recent summit. All of them had listened and many had protested. They couldn't see their own failure, and too many had died because they would not learn.

Beside him was a pile of newer papers; the only things not covered in dust. At first glance, none of it appeared coherent, but he knew the meaning behind them. Photographs of rubble and smashed glass littered the valley. On another page were pile of bodies, all different shapes and sizes, all of them with red eyes.

He stared at the final set of photographs for a while.

"Legacy…" he whispered to himself. "…fruitless on its own. I will turn it into history. Repeating mistakes is all they do. Nothing will change, unless I make it."

He picked up the pocket watch and left the room, and the papers, behind.

From the fog that plagued the photo, a woman dressed in black could be made out, standing outside a great castle.

The words 'first target' were written in red beside her.


End file.
